News-Antique.com - Aug 05,2013 - (ANN ARBOR, Mich.) – The lifetime collection of Don and Diane Sayrizi – advanced collectors in many categories, but especially antique advertising – plus consignments from over 100 other advanced collectors from all over the country will be offered Oct. 4-6 by Showtime Auction Services, at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds in Ann Arbor, located at 5055 Ann Arbor/Saline Road.

“By far this is the best collection of antique advertising we have ever had the privilege of selling,” said Mike Eckles of Showtime Auction Services, based in Woodhaven, Mich. “We’ve held big auctions in the past, many of which featured advertising items, but never like this. The antique signs, in particular, are highly desirable and would be fine additions to any collection.”

In all, around 1,800 lots will cross the auction block over the course of the three days – 600 lots on Friday, Oct. 4 (which will be for a live audience only; no phone, absentee or Internet bidding) and 1,200 lots on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5-6, (which will be open to the live crowd, phone, absentee and Internet bidders). Internet bidding is provided by LiveAuctioneers.com and iCollector.com.

Specific collections expected to generate keen bidder interest include a group of around 20 extremely rare cigar lighters and tip cutters, all circa 1890-1910; more than 15 slot machines, including an upright; several Muto-Scopes (vintage arcade peep shows, circa 1900-1920); and a large collection of cast-iron toys, many of them rare, by Arcade and other makers.

Other collections of note will feature over 20 hard-to-find pedal cars; firearms and gunpowder posters and calendars; hundreds of tobacco and cigar tins; a large collection of breweriana; and scarce showcases, country store displays and counters. Also offered will be a fabulous Nickelodeon and three extremely rare Regina music players with discs from the 1890s, all in playable condition.

Individual lots that deserve special attention include a salesman’s sample cigar store showcase with original carrying case by Whitcomb Cabinet Company (Kansas City, Mo., circa 1895). “I feel very strongly that this is one of the top ten salesman’s samples ever offered at auction,” Eckles remarked. “It wouldn’t surprise me to see it sell for $50,000, maybe more.”

Another expected star lot is a Campbell’s Soup embossed tin sign, showing an image of an American flag fashioned from soup cans (“6 Plates for 10